Michael Peter "Micky" Spilotro (September 12, 1944 – June 14, 1986) was the younger brother of
Anthony "Tony the Ant" Spilotro and was an associate of the
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
organized crime organization referred to as "
The Outfit".
Family background
Michael was born in Chicago,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
, on September 12, 1944. He was the son of Pasquale Spilotro, Sr. (1899–1954), a restaurant owner, and his wife, Antoinette. Michael had five brothers, Vincent,
Victor
The name Victor or Viktor may refer to:
* Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname
Arts and entertainment
Film
* ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film
* ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...
, Pasquale "
Pat" Jr.,
Tony
Tony may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer
* Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
and John.
He attended
Burbank Elementary School in
Austin, Chicago
Austin is one of 77 community areas in Chicago Located on the city's West Side, it is the third largest community area by population (behind the Near North Side and Lake View) and the second-largest geographically (behind South Deering). Aus ...
, and entered
Charles P. Steinmetz Academic Centre in 1953 with his brothers Victor, Vincent, Anthony and Pasquale. Michael attended (what is now)
Providence St. Mel School in
East Garfield Park, Chicago from 1958 to 1962.
His parents, Pasquale Spilotro, Sr. (who emigrated from
Triggiano, Italy and arrived at
Ellis Island
Ellis Island is a federally owned island in New York Harbor, situated within the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, that was the busiest immigrant inspection and processing station in the United States. From 1892 to 1954, nearly 12 mil ...
in 1914) and Antoinette Spilotro (who was a domineering mother), owned Patsy's Restaurant. Unlike most Italian immigrants, who settled in "The Patch," (located around Grand and Western Avenues), the Spilotros lived at 2152 North Melvina Avenue in
Austin, Chicago
Austin is one of 77 community areas in Chicago Located on the city's West Side, it is the third largest community area by population (behind the Near North Side and Lake View) and the second-largest geographically (behind South Deering). Aus ...
.
Mobsters such as
Salvatore "Sam" Giancana,
Jackie "The Lackey" Cerone,
Gus Alex and
Frank Nitti
Frank Ralph Nitto (born Francesco Raffaele Nitto, ; January 27, 1886 – March 19, 1943), known as Frank Nitti, was an Italian-American organized crime figure based in Chicago. The first cousin and bodyguard of Al Capone, Nitti was in charge o ...
("Frank the Enforcer") regularly dined at Patsy's, which was on the west side at Grand and Ogden Avenues, using its parking lot for mob meetings. Patsy's was a small place famous for its homemade meatballs that attracted people from all over town including
Anthony Accardo,
Paul Ricca
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
* Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
*Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
, Sam Giancana, Gus Alex and Jackie Cerone.
In 1954, Pasquale, Sr. suffered a fatal
aneurysm
An aneurysm is an outward bulging, likened to a bubble or balloon, caused by a localized, abnormal, weak spot on a blood vessel wall. Aneurysms may be a result of a hereditary condition or an acquired disease. Aneurysms can also be a nidus ( ...
and died at the age of fifty-five.
His brother Anthony would later transfer to a trade school with
Frank Cullotta. Michael graduated high school and shortly began to follow in his older brother Tony's footsteps.
Michael's brother, Pasquale, became an
oral surgeon and dentist in the Chicago area, and Vincent lived a law-abiding life.
Tony, John and Victor became criminals like Michael. As a child he and his brothers grew up in a two-story wooden bungalow just a few blocks from
Frank Rosenthal
Frank Lawrence Rosenthal (June 12, 1929 – October 13, 2008), also known as "Lefty" Rosenthal, was an American professional sports bettor, former Las Vegas casino executive, and organized crime associate. Rosenthal, who was once called "the gre ...
's childhood home.
Michael spoke in a dapper Chicago accent and pronounced his vowels flat.
He was married to Anne Spilotro and father to Michelle Spilotro Capozzoli, Paula Spilotro, and Michael Spilotro Jr.(born May 21, 1977).
He had once been arrested for aggravated assault with Rocco Lombardo, the younger brother of future mob boss
Joseph Lombardo
Joseph Patrick Lombardo (born Giuseppe Lombardi; January 1, 1929 – October 19, 2019), also known as "Joey the Clown", was an American mobster and a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit crime organization. He was alleged to be the ''Consi ...
and
Peter Schivarelli, a former
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
football player, but the trio had been acquitted.
Spilotro's wife and daughter would later testify in 2007 for the prosecution regarding the Spilotro Brothers' involvement with
James Marcello.
In 2007, Anne Spilotro testified at the
Family Secrets trial about how she reached out to mob boss
James Marcello for help and allegedly was swindled after selling her husband's Chicago restaurant to state
Democratic Senator James DeLeo and attorney James Banks, the nephew of Chicago's 36th Ward Alderman
William Banks. Upon hearing the allegations, DeLeo expressed amazement at her complaint to reporters. DeLeo said he and James Banks converted the restaurant into a pizza parlor that later failed.
B-movie Hollywood career
Michael was friends with actor
Robert Conrad and through Conrad, also became close friends with Robert's fellow
Hollywood actor
Larry Manetti
Lawrence Francis Manetti (born July 23, 1947) is an American actor best known for his role as Orville Wilbur Richard "Rick" Wright on the CBS television series ''Magnum, P.I.'' which starred Tom Selleck as the title character. He also starred in ...
(one of the supporting stars of ''
Magnum P.I.
''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on th ...
'') and his wife Nancy DeCarl. In a 2008 interview, Conrad described the late Chicago Mob associate Michael Spilotro as his "best friend".
Michael first met Robert Conrad in May 1954, when Robert was only 19 years old. At the time Conrad had eloped with a lawyer's daughter and lied about his age to gain employment as a
longshoreman
A stevedore (), also called a longshoreman, a docker or a dockworker, is a waterfront manual laborer who is involved in loading and unloading ships, trucks, trains or airplanes.
After the shipping container revolution of the 1960s, the number o ...
down at the Chicago waterfront. He was later fired in December of that year for handing out a petition to have his
union steward
A union representative, union steward, or shop steward is an employee of an organization or company who represents and defends the interests of their fellow employees as a labor union member and official. Rank-and-file members of the union hold ...
fired. The two remained close and Michael later appeared as a stick-up man in Conrad's TV series ''
The Duke'' in 1979. On the
Internet Movie Database
IMDb (an abbreviation of Internet Movie Database) is an online database of information related to films, television series, home videos, video games, and streaming content online – including cast, production crew and personal biographies, ...
(IMDb) website, Michael is labeled as a dramatic actor. Through Conrad he became close with actors
Patrick Wayne
Patrick John Morrison (born July 15, 1939), better known by his stage name Patrick Wayne, is an American actor. He is the second son of movie star John Wayne and his first wife, Josephine Alicia Saenz. He made over 40 films, including eleven w ...
,
Dennis Hopper and
Nick Adams. He later was featured in ''Will: The Autobiography of
G. Gordon Liddy
George Gordon Battle Liddy (November 30, 1930 – March 30, 2021) was an American lawyer, FBI agent, talk show host, actor, and convicted felon in the Watergate scandal as the chief operative in the White House Plumbers unit during the Nixon admi ...
'' released in 1982, and with
Tom Selleck
Thomas William Selleck (; born January 29, 1945) is an American actor. His breakout role was playing private investigator Thomas Magnum in the television series '' Magnum, P.I.'' (1980–1988), for which he received five Emmy Award nominations ...
in the first season of the TV series ''
Magnum, P.I.
''Magnum, P.I.'' is an American crime drama television series starring Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum, a private investigator (P.I.) living on Oahu, Hawaii. The series ran from December 11, 1980 to May 8, 1988 during its first-run broadcast on ...
'', in the episode 12 entitled "Thicker Than Blood" as an armed
federal marshall.
After temporarily moving to
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, shortly before his death to tend to his indictment in the months long hole in the wall gang trial , Michael allegedly helped run The Goldrush Ltd. with Anthony and his other brother John who worked as a bookmaker. Michael soon became involved in
bookmaking
A bookmaker, bookie, or turf accountant is an organization or a person that accepts and pays off bets on sporting and other events at agreed-upon odds.
History
The first bookmaker, Ogden, stood at Newmarket in 1795.
Range of events
Bookm ...
, drug dealing,
prostitution, robbery, and
extortion
Extortion is the practice of obtaining benefit through coercion. In most jurisdictions it is likely to constitute a criminal offence; the bulk of this article deals with such cases. Robbery is the simplest and most common form of extortion, ...
. Through his relationship with Larry Manetti he had connections in the
Plaza Hotel & Casino
The Plaza Hotel & Casino is a casino–hotel located in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada owned by the Tamares Group, and PlayLV is the leaseholder and operator of the property. It currently has 995 rooms and suites, as well as an casino and more tha ...
when it was under the ownership of the
Barrick Gaming Corporation
Barrick Gaming Corporation is a private company that was founded by D.W. Barrick and Stephen Crystal. The company formerly operated several hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada. The company is currently based in Las Vegas ...
. Lifelong friend and fellow actor Larry Manetti told reporters from The Chicago Tribune during the Family Trial, "I didn't know Michael was a gangster. I knew him as a guy I grew up with in the neighborhood. Michael wanted to be on TV, that's all. Who wouldn't.... He wasn't trying to be a movie star or an actor, he was having fun." Manetti commented to reporters about Michael's acting ability stating, "He was OK as an actor, he wasn't so stiff." It is unknown if Michael approached any movie production studios for acting jobs, but his performances on television were said to be given "two-thumbs down" by critics. Robert Conrad attended funerals of the Spilotro's family, and made no effort to hide his appearances from the press there. There was no attempt on the part of either Robert Conrad or Larry Manetti to attend the funerals of Anthony 0or Michael. He didn't appear publicly with either brother even when they were alive. Conrad attempted to keep his association ''
sub rosa
''Sub rosa'' (New Latin for "under the rose") denotes secrecy or confidentiality. The rose has an ancient history as a symbol of secrecy.
History
In Hellenistic and later Roman mythology, roses were associated with secrecy because Cupid ga ...
'' also and when he encountered a bus load of tourists when Anthony Spilotro's Monte Carlo automobile collided with it he quickly left before attention could be drawn.
The Hole In The Wall Gang
Spilotro, in 1978, formed a burglary ring with his brother Anthony and
Herbert Blitzstein, utilizing about eight associates as burglars. The crew became known as the Hole in the Wall Gang because of its penchant for gaining entry by drilling through the exterior walls and ceilings of the buildings they burglarized. The Hole in the Wall Gang operated out of The Gold Rush, Ltd.
Other gang members included his younger brother John Paul Spilotro,
Polish-American
Polish Americans ( pl, Polonia amerykańska) are Americans who either have total or partial Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 9.15 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.83% ...
brothers Peanuts Pancsko, Butch Pancsko and Pops Pancsko, Frank DeLegge,
French-Canadian Michael LaJoy, Joseph D'Argento,
Swedish-American
Swedish Americans ( sv, svenskamerikaner) are Americans of Swedish ancestry. They include the 1.2 million Swedish immigrants during 1865–1915, who formed tight-knit communities, as well as their descendants and more recent immigrants.
Today, ...
Gerald Tomasczek, Peter Basile of
Wilmette, Illinois
Wilmette is a village in New Trier Township, Cook County, Illinois, United States. Bordering Lake Michigan and Evanston, Illinois, it is located north of Chicago's downtown district. Wilmette had a population of 27,087 at the 2010 census. The ...
, Carl Urbanotti of Chicago, Illinois, Ernest Lehnigg of
Addison, Illinois
Addison is a village located in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 36,942 at the 2010 census.
History
The community itself was originally named Dunkley's Grove after the settler Hezekia ...
, Samuel Cusumano, Joseph Cusumano, Ernesto "Ernie" Davino, 34, Las Vegas, "Crazy Larry" Neumann, Wayne Matecki, Salvatore "Sonny" Romano, Leonardo "Leo" Guardino, 47, Las Vegas,
Frank Cullotta, 43, Las Vegas, and former
Las Vegas Sheriff's Department Detective, Joseph Blasko, 45, Las Vegas, who acted as a lookout and who later worked as a bartender at the Crazy Horse Too, a gentleman's club, and died of a heart attack in 2002.
Following the botched burglary at Bertha's Household Products on July 4, 1981, Cullotta, Blasko, Guardino, Davino, Neumann, and Matecki were arrested and each charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, attempted grand larceny and possession of burglary tools. They were locked into the Las Vegas police department's holding cell in downtown Las Vegas. The only members of Spilotro's gang not arrested for the July 4 burglary were Blitzstein, Michael Spilotro, Romano and Cusumano. Meanwhile, Cullotta had turned state's witness, testifying against Anthony and to a lesser extent Michael Spilotro. But the testimony was insufficient, and Tony was acquitted.
Death
Spilotro and his brother Anthony disappeared on June 14, 1986, after they drove away together from Michael's
Oak Park home.
Michael's wife, Anne, reported both brothers missing on June 16.
Michael's car, a 1986 Lincoln, was recovered several days later in a motel parking lot near
O'Hare International Airport.
[ On June 22, their bodies were found, one on top of the other and stripped down to their undershorts, buried in a cornfield in the Willow Slough preserve near ]Enos, Indiana
Enos is an unincorporated community in McClellan Township, Newton County, in the U.S. state of Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 Sta ...
.[ The freshly turned earth had been noticed by a farmer who thought that the remains of a deer killed out of season had been buried there by a ]poacher
Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights.
Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...
, and notified authorities.[ An autopsy completed on June 24, identified their cause of death by ]blunt force trauma
Blunt trauma, also known as blunt force trauma or non-penetrating trauma, is physical traumas, and particularly in the elderly who fall. It is contrasted with penetrating trauma which occurs when an object pierces the skin and enters a tissue ...
, and had been dead since June 14.[ They were identified by dental charts supplied by their dentist brother, Patrick Spilotro.][ The two were buried in a family plot at ]Queen of Heaven Cemetery
Queen of Heaven Cemetery is a Roman Catholic cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, a suburban community near Chicago. The cemetery is operated by the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Queen of Heaven is located at Wolf and Roosevelt Roads, near the Eisenhower ...
in Hillside, Illinois
Hillside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 8,320.
Geography
Hillside is located at (41.874797, −87.900372).
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, Hillside has a total ar ...
on June 27.
In January 1986, in the wake of the imprisonment of Joseph Aiuppa
Joseph John Aiuppa (December 1, 1907 – February 22, 1997), also known as "Joey O'Brien" and "Joey Doves", was a Chicago mobster who became a leader of the Chicago Outfit from 1971 until his skimming conviction in 1986.
Early career
Joseph A ...
and John Cerone for skimming Las Vegas casino profits, a meeting was held at the Czech Lodge in North Riverside, Illinois
North Riverside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 7,426.
Geography
North Riverside is located at (41.846222, -87.829585).
According to the 2021 census gazetteer files, North R ...
. Most of the ‘upper echelon’ were there, including Outfit boss Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo. Accardo had decided to appoint Samuel Carlisi as the "Street Boss" in charge of Outfit operations to replace Aiuppa. Carlisi told the group that Accardo would stay on as ''consigliere
Consigliere ( , ; plural ) is a position within the leadership structure of the Sicilian, Calabrian, and Italian-American Mafia. The word was popularized in English by the novel '' The Godfather'' (1969) and its film adaptation. In the novel, a ...
'' and would have final say, as well as Gus Alex staying head of the connection guys. He then went on to the first problem: Spilotro, and how things had gone down since he took over Vegas. Mobster and mob enforcer Rocco Infelice said, "Hit him." Everyone else at the meeting agreed. Spilotro was replaced in Las Vegas by Donald "The Wizard of Odds" Angelini.
Although the original reports stated the Spilotros were beaten and buried in the Enos, Indiana, cornfield, mobster Nicholas Calabrese
Nicholas W. Calabrese (born November 30, 1942) is an American former mob hitman, best known for being the second made man ever to testify against the Chicago Outfit. His testimony and cooperation with federal prosecutors helped result in the 2007 ...
testified at the "Operation Family Secrets
Operation Family Secrets was an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into mob-related crimes in Chicago. The FBI called it one of the most successful investigations of organized crime that it had ever conducted.[Bensenville, Illinois
Bensenville is a village located near O'Hare International Airport in DuPage County, Illinois, with a portion of the town in Cook County. As of the 2020 census, the village population was 18,813.
First known as Tioga, it was formally establishe ...]
, basement where the Spilotros believed Michael would be inducted into The Outfit, then transported to the cornfield. According to court testimony, when Tony entered the basement and realized what was about to occur, he asked if he could "say a prayer".
No arrests were made until April 25, 2005, when 14 members of the Chicago Outfit (including reputed boss James Marcello) were indicted for 18 murders, including the Spilotros. The suspected murderers included ''capo'' Albert Tocco
Albert "Caesar" Tocco (August 9, 1929 – September 21, 2005), was a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit during the 1970s and 1980s. He was the mob boss of Chicago Heights, the south suburbs, and parts of Northern Indiana.
Tocco was describ ...
from Chicago Heights, Illinois
Chicago Heights is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 27,480 at the 2020 census. In earlier years, Chicago Heights was nicknamed "The Crossroads of the Nation". Currently, it is nicknamed "The Heights".
Geogra ...
, who was sentenced to 200 years in prison in 1990, after his wife testified against him. She testified that in 1986 she drove her husband from an Indiana cornfield where he told her he had just buried Spilotro. Another suspect in the murders was Frank "The German" Schweihs, a convicted extortionist and alleged Chicago assassin who was suspected of involvement in several murders including the Spilotros, Allen Dorfman
Allen Melnick Dorfman (January 6, 1923 – January 20, 1983) was an American insurance agency owner and a consultant to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) Central States Pension Fund. He was a close associate of longtime IBT Presid ...
(of the Teamster's Pension Fund), and a former girlfriend. Schweihs was arrested by the FBI on December 22, 2005. At the time, he was a fugitive living in a Berea, Kentucky
Berea is a home rule-class city in Madison County, Kentucky, in the United States. The town is best known for its art festivals, historic restaurants and buildings, and as the home to Berea College, a private liberal arts college. The population ...
apartment complex. Schweihs had slipped away before prosecutors were able to arrest him and 13 others, including Marcello.
On May 18, 2007, the star witness in the government's case against 14 Chicago mob figures, Nicholas Calabrese, pleaded guilty to taking part in a conspiracy that included 18 murders, including the hits on Anthony and Michael Spilotro. Under heavy security, Calabrese admitted that he took part in planning or carrying out 14 of the murders, including the Spilotro killings. He became the key witness against his brother, Frank Calabrese, Sr., and other major mob figures charged in the government's Family Secrets Trial. Calabrese agreed to testify after the FBI showed him DNA evidence linking him to the murder of fellow hit-man John Fecarotta, who was also allegedly involved in the Spilotro slayings.
In September 2007, Frank Calabrese, Sr. and four other men—Marcello, Joseph Lombardo, Paul "The Indian" Schiro, and former Chicago police officer Anthony "Twan" Doyle—were convicted of mob-related crimes. On September 27, 2007, Marcello was found guilty by a federal jury in the murders of both Spilotro brothers. On February 5, 2009, Marcello was sentenced to Life imprisonment for the Spilotro murders, and United States District Judge James Zagel
James Block Zagel (born March 4, 1941) is an inactive Senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and a novelist.
Early life and education
Born in Chicago, Illinois, to Jewish ...
, agreeing with the presentation made by federal prosecutor Markus Funk, also found Marcello responsible for the D'Andrea murder as well, even though the jury had deadlocked on that count. On March 26, 2009, Nicholas Calabrese was sentenced to 12 years and four months imprisonment.
In popular culture
The character Dominick "Dom" Santoro in the 1995 film ''Casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
'' is based on Michael Spilotro, and played by Philip Suriano. Dominick is shown assisting his older brother Nicky and his crew in beating up a man outside a bar, spitting in a police officer's sandwich, and later shooting up a cop's home in revenge for the death of a crew member. In the infamous cornfield scene at the film's climax, Dominick is the first of the brothers to be brutally beaten by Frank Marino and the rest of their crew while Nicky is forced to watch. When Nicky pleads for Dominick's life, Marino spitefully lands two particularly vicious blows to Dominick's head, leaving Dominick only barely conscious as he is thrown into the hole to be buried alive with Nicky moments later.
See also
*List of solved missing person cases
Lists of solved missing person cases include:
* List of solved missing person cases: pre-2000
* List of solved missing person cases: post-2000
See also
* List of kidnappings
* List of murder convictions without a body
* List of people who di ...
References
Sources
*''The Enforcer: Spilotro-The Chicago Mob's Man in Las Vegas'' by William F. Roemer, Jr.
* Honolulu Star Bulletin Vol. 12 Issue 175 "Maui fest shows film stars under the stars" John Heckathorn
*"Mistress Humiliates Marcello" The Chicago Sun Times Steve Warmbir August 3, 2007
*Doctor At Mob Trial Says Spilotros Beaten To Death by Chicago Associated Press
External links
*
Michael Peter "Micky" Spilotro
at Find A Grave
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spilotro, Michael
1944 births
1980s missing person cases
1986 deaths
1986 murders in the United States
20th-century American male actors
American burglars
American male television actors
Burials in Illinois
Burials in Indiana
Chicago Outfit mobsters
Deaths by beating in the United States
Formerly missing people
Male murder victims
Missing person cases in Illinois
Murdered American gangsters of Italian descent
People murdered by the Chicago Outfit
People murdered in Illinois
People of Apulian descent